Over this past weekend my wife Nancy and I took a little road trip p to Portland Maine to visit the Maine Boatbuilder's Show. This annual event has become a sort of Spring welcoming session for New England boaters over the years. In attendance were the usual cast of characters with their displays of classic New England style boats. Nothing really new to report on that count. But as I walked the docks during the weekend I got a good look at the live-aboard boat below and thought I would share it. Unless I've been hiding behind a rock somewhare this is a fairly fresh idea I think for setting things up to have a comfortable space on board during cold NE winters.

Now granted, I just heard that the New England winter this year was the fourth warmest on record, but this cover arrangement is slick! We were walking around in shirt sleeves this weekend in Portland Maine!  The cover is made up of almost clear heat shrink wrap over PVC hoops with a single wooden strip in the fore and aft plane making for a really beautiful green house which will keep things warm and toasty during a sunny day. This owner made the height high enough so that they can walk around on deck. If it ever does snow here in New England again, the shape will deflect well enough to keep any excessive accumulation from occuring. The frame is reusable from one year to the next. In general, my idea of a nice winter cocoon.  Liveaboard boaters, you want this! Power or sail, I can see this shape and the hoop concept being employed on a lot of different boats.

Our friends over at JMP pumps sent this little nugget over today. Some good advice here if you want to prolong your pump's impeller life, but also to ensure that your pump can perform at its best. People tend to forget basic physics when they install pumps. Pipe diameter, pressure head or lift, (the relative difference in height between the pump and the overboard discharge controls this factor). Anyhow, all of these things can be maximized if you follow the simple tips below:

TIPS FOR GOOD PUMPING

        Flexible impeller pumps provide an efficient solution to most marine pumping needs.  The tips below from JMP will help ensure pumps stay in top condition and operating at a high level.

        Pipe runs should always be kept as short and straight as possible, avoiding rising over obstructions, as this can create air-locks.  Plumbing should be reinforced, non-collapsible hose of the recommended size.

Flexible impeller pumps must not be run dry for more than 30 seconds.  Bilge pumps and water pumps in particular should always be fastened to the boat structure to ensure their permanent location. Owners should mount flexible impeller pumps so that some water is left in the pump body when the pump is off.  This will prolong impeller life and speed priming.  Pumps must be installed with the overboard discharge well above the waterline to avoid water siphoning back into the vessel.

        JMP has manufactured electro-magnetic clutch, general multi-purpose and engine cooling pumps for over 30 years.  The company's pumps can be designed to meet specific application requirements.

Contact JMPUSA, 2000 NW 84th Ave. Suite 244, Miami, FL  33122.

Tel.  866-537-3959; 305-677-8330; Fax:  305-677-8337.  Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Website:  www.jmpusa.com

A press release from our friends at Hella Lighting came in over the wires today that highlights a topic I've discussed here at EBT before. Probably a good idea to bring this up again as I think a lot of boaters are thinking about intelligent upgrades to their boats during the winter doldrums. I know I am. Actually, I really fell off a cliff during the Miami Boat Show this year and bought a new boat! More on that in another post.

RETROFITTING INCANDESCENT NAV LAMPS

WITH LED BULBS IS UNSAFE, ILLEGAL

With all the power-saving and longevity benefits of LED lights, it's easy to see why boat owners replace traditional light bulbs with LEDs.  But doing so with navigation lights can violate the fixture's certifications.  This has serious consequences, as US Inland Navigation Rules and International Navigation Rules carry the force of federal law.

"A certified navigation light fixture is a combination of a specific lens, a specific bulb and the necessary foundation and wiring.  The boat owner or operator must ensure that when bulb replacement is necessary, only the original type bulb is used," said Phil Cappel, chief of the US Coast Guard's Recreational Boating Product Assurance Branch.  "Any substitutions can result in the light no longer meeting the Navigation Rule requirements."

A wide variety of replacement bulbs are available, including LED bulb conversion kits.  Simply finding one that fits the fixture won't assure the boater of a properly certified navigation light, unless the lamp manufacturer has third party-certified it for their own lamp.  Cappel notes that compliance with the Navigation Rules is the boat operator's responsibility, not the bulb manufacturer's.

Industry specifications and certifications are in place for safety.  Though seemingly simple, the red, white and green navigation lights are thoroughly tested by a third party for light intensity, color, angles of visibility, corrosion and temperature.  "The lamp assemblies are designed and tested with a specific light source," said Brian Goodwin, technical director for the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC).

Precise tests determine if light reaches nautical mile requirements.  Light output must also be sharp at the edges and smooth across the arcs of visibility.  This prevents light from appearing to flash like a buoy rather than project consistently when the boat rotates and rocks. 

Goodwin notes that there are other causes of failure if the owner replaces a bulb with one other than the original type.  For example, LEDs installed in a housing intended for a hot bulb may dim unexpectedly.  "Unless approved and tested by the light fixture manufacturer, LED retrofit bulbs do not belong in navigation lights," he said.

"Flaunting the law risks lives, insurance and liability," said Jeremy Singleton, Hella marine global manager.  "The USCG and ABYC take navigation lighting very seriously.  They are considered life-saving devices to avoid collisions at sea and on inland waterways."

The simple solution for owners wishing to upgrade to LED navigation lights is to replace the entire light assembly with a certified product.  This ensures their navigation lights are safe, and legal.

I've been reporting the progress our friend Eddie has been making with his all electric Marshall Catboat as it is being custom built. Well, the day has come and the boat is now complete. Eddie trailered it to Florida and he's been out sailing this past week. I'm jealous. I was at the Miami Boat Show working as an NMMA Innovation award judge. Got to see some really cool new products though, and I'll be reporting on those over the next few weeks. Just sorting through some photos, but stay tuned, lots of super neat things to report from Miami coming your way right here. For now though, check out Eddie's all electric, Mastervolt Powered Marshall Catboat. Its a thing of beauty!

Q

Mastervolt LION batteries, charger and controls in place on the Marshall

Full Cabin View. Nothing like a totally traditional boat set up with a completely state of the art electric propuslion system.

I'll report back as Eddie checks in. He's monitoring his power comsumption while in Florida. So far so good.

I had a query several days ago regarding an article I wrote for Cruising World magazine about batteries and battery banks. The fellow loved the article (Thanks!) but had a good question that I should share with everyone. It has to do with wire sizing, specificall the main cable from his boat battery to in his case a small outboard engine. On his boat the battery is located forward, I think under a berthing area and a rather long cable runs aft to his outboard motor. Keep in mind that in this case we're talking about a small outboard engine on a sailboat, not that the type of boat makes any difference here. He was having trouble getting his engine to crank over with the electric starter.

OK, so the issue here is voltage drop, and wire sizing is the key. The little tables shown here come from my best selling book (small plug here) Outboard Engines, Maintenance Troubleshooting and Repair.

For larger engines, use this table:

Oh, and say, if you do use outboard engines, you need a copy of the above mentioned book. If you purchase it by linking to McGraw Hill  via my link in the left column of my home page here. Go for it! $20 well spent!